Nicolás Maduro has stepped up his defiant rhetoric against the United States while President Trump has deployed U.S. ships and military personnel to the region and continues to carry out strikes on narco-boats.
Across Latin America, many countries have either distanced themselves from Venezuela or openly backed the United States, leaving Nicolás Maduro with few remaining allies. The governments still aligned with Caracas are neither powerful nor influential, and even Venezuela’s two most important partners, Russia and China, have offered little meaningful support as U.S. pressure mounts.
Russia and China were once Maduro’s strongest external backers, supplying weapons, loans, training, and political cover. Now both are pulling back as they confront their own economic and military constraints. Maduro has appealed to Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping for radars, aircraft repairs, missiles, and expanded military cooperation, yet neither has stepped in. Their caution mirrors Iran’s experience earlier in the year, when both powers declined to intervene during U.S. and Israeli strikes.
At present, Russia and China continue to criticize U.S. actions but have taken no steps that would alter the strategic balance. Neither has committed assets, provided military assistance, or moved beyond limited symbolic gestures, leaving Venezuela increasingly isolated as U.S. pressure intensifies.
Russia, which once sent nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela, is consumed by its war in Ukraine and has provided only token support, such as two oil tankers sent to help Caracas export crude. Yet Moscow remains Venezuela’s most reliable political and military partner. It has supplied fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, and thousands of Igla missiles over the years, and recently signed a strategic agreement on oil and energy cooperation.
Even so, despite this long history and the 2025 “strategic partnership,” Russia has offered no military guarantees, deployments, or concrete assistance in the current crisis.
China, which has invested more than $30 billion in Venezuela since 2000 and long served as its primary economic lifeline, is also staying out. Beijing continues to present itself as a loyal partner, citing decades of loans, infrastructure deals, and oil-for-credit arrangements while accusing Washington of “hegemonic” behavior.
Chinese officials have reaffirmed their willingness to deepen cooperation with Venezuela and other developing countries opposed to U.S. influence, but in practice China has taken no direct action. It has provided no troops, weapons, naval assets, intelligence, or diplomatic confrontation with the United States, choosing instead to protect its broader global economic interests and ongoing trade negotiations with the Trump administration.
Iran has strengthened its alignment with Maduro, condemning U.S. actions as violations of international law and pledging expanded bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei declared that the United States has become the “biggest threat” to international peace and security, citing Washington’s actions toward Venezuela and its support for Israel.
He accused the Trump administration of relying on threats and force across multiple regions, highlighting U.S. pressure on Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Mexico. Baghaei also denounced Trump’s declaration closing Venezuelan airspace, calling it an unprecedented breach of international aviation norms.
Türkiye maintains a longstanding economic partnership with Venezuela, with leaders from both countries exchanging visits and expanding trade ties. Turkish Airlines recently suspended flights to Venezuela after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned of heightened military activity and rising security risks in Venezuelan airspace. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also emerged as one of Nicolás Maduro’s closest international allies, making Turkey a likely refuge should Maduro decide to flee.
The two governments have spent years strengthening political and economic cooperation, and analysts say Erdogan offers Maduro both personal trust and practical guarantees, including protection from U.S. extradition. With Russia, China, and Iran unlikely to provide a secure or politically viable escape route, experts increasingly view Turkey as Maduro’s safest option. Turkey’s role also aligns with Erdogan’s broader diplomatic ambitions, as Ankara positions itself as indispensable.
Together, Russia, China, Iran, and Türkiye form the core of Venezuela’s external diplomatic support, though none has issued statements suggesting they will intervene militarily in the current crisis.
Cuba condemned the United States for what it described as an aggressive and dangerous escalation toward Venezuela, warning that Washington’s expanding military presence in the Caribbean could spark a violent intervention. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez accused the Trump administration of preparing to remove Nicolás Maduro by force, saying such actions would violate international law and risk mass casualties across the region.
Despite their angry rhetoric and condemnations of President Trump, Venezuela’s “allies” are steering clear of any real involvement in a potential conflict, with the possible exception of Nicaragua. In August, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega offered to send “Sandinista fighters” to Venezuela if Nicolás Maduro faced an “armed counterrevolution” following the disputed July 2024 election. Maduro’s claim of victory sparked mass protests, accusations of fraud, and more than 24 civilian deaths, while security forces detained at least 2,000 opposition supporters.
Speaking at a virtual summit, Ortega pledged armed support but did not specify whether he meant military personnel, police, or pro-government paramilitaries. He has also not repeated or reinforced that offer during the recent escalation with President Trump, raising doubts about whether Nicaragua would ultimately intervene.
In short, Venezuela appears to be on its own, confronting the world’s most powerful military and a president known for his unwavering resolve and willingness to strike when necessary.
The post Venezuela’s Allies in the War with Trump Are Few and Weak: China and Russia Sit on the Sidelines appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.